TV TOP PICKS

7 p.m. on FOX MasterChef

The kitchen opens again as a new season of the culinary competition begins with the traditional Battle of the Apron in the two-part episode “The Judges Do Battle.” In a fresh wrinkle to the show, judges Aaron Sanchez and Joe Bastianich each select eight cooks to mentor from the initial field of 43.

7 p.m. on NBC American Ninja Warrior

With the “Dallas City Qualifiers,” this competition begins a new season as entrants — some of whom are returnees from earlier editions — tackle a multi-stage obstacle course based on a Japanese premise. The program travels to other locations to gather finalists in each place, leading to a championship contest that will award the winner $1 million and the American Ninja Warrior title.

8 p.m. on PBS NOVA Wonders

The new spinoff series concludes by asking in its title arguably the biggest of all scientific questions, “What’s the Universe Made Of?” What has been gauged to be the rest of the galaxy really is only about 10 percent of it, with dark matter and dark energy comprising the rest — and threatening the power of the smaller percentage of the universe that is known. Hosts Talithia Williams, Rana el Kaliouby and Andre Fenton survey scientists’ related work and predictions.

9 p.m. on NBC Reverie

Virtual reality plays a very big role in “Apertus,” the premiere episode of this fantasy-drama series from Extant creator-producer Mickey Fisher, as Sarah Shahi returns to series work as a former hostage negotiator trying to overcome personal tragedy. She may be in good hands — pun intended — as Dennis Haysbert plays her ex-boss, who recruits her to pull too-immersed people back into the real world from a V.R. space called Reverie. Sendhil Ramamurthy and Kathryn Morris also star.

11 p.m. on FX The Americans

This taut Cold War spy drama has seen its ratings steadily dwindle since the dizzying highs of its first season, but it has remained a favorite of critics and TV industry peers throughout its run, garnering 57 awards nominations and 12 wins, including the prestigious Peabody Award for television excellence. The series finally wraps tonight with a series finale called, ironically, “START,” which finds the Jennings family facing a choice that is bound to change their lives forever. Keri Russell, pictured, and Matthew Rhys star.